Red-hot Albert Dikwa carries Riverhounds past Birmingham Legion

Albert Dikwa has always had a high workrate through his time with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

He’s always in motion, giving center backs fits with the size and energy he brings.

While he’s also been a good goal scorer in the past, he’s becoming one of the elite finishers in the USL Championship this year, and he helped the Hounds cap off a memorable week Saturday night.

Dikwa added to his league-leading goal total by netting a pair in a 2-1 win over Birmingham Legion FC at Highmark Stadium.

Dikwa had 11 goals in 33 appearances last year and already has netted nine in 10 USL Championship games this season.

Both goals Saturday came on headers in the 11th and 70th minute.

“It’s really hard to mark him because never really stops moving and he’s determined,” Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley said. “He’s going to fight for position, show up every game and drag center backs around. He’s going to try to find those little pockets of space and does it at full speed.

“He knows what we need from him and generally he’s up for it. He’s always early and one of the last to leave. He’s always in the gym doing extra work on his own. That’s just Dikwa. That’s why he’s getting ahead.”

Dikwa credited the coaching staff for helping him become a stronger finisher in front of goal.

“It’s all thanks to Coach Bob (Lilley),” Dikwa said. “In training, if I make a little mistake, I’m getting killed every single time, because Bob is a guy who wants perfection. That’s something I can take. It’s for my benefit to improve every time. Something I’ve been working on is my finishing. I want it to go up and to the next level. I’m in the right place for that and have the best coach to help me with that.”

The win came four days after the Hounds (3-2-5) pulled off a 1-0 upset over New England Revolution in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup, beating an MLS opponent for the second time in club history.

They finished off the week by defeating Birmingham (5-5-1), the only other non-MLS team remaining in the U.S. Open Cup.

Dikwa’s first goal finished off some tidy passes by Danny Griffin and Kenardo Forbes. Griffin played the ball from the middle out wide to Forbes, who whipped it in and found Dikwa.

Matthew Corcoran leveled the match for Birmingham in the 35th minute with a successful free kick from just outside the box. It was the first professional goal for Corcoran, who’s 17 years old.

The match stayed 1-1 into the second half, and it looked like Griffin had found the go-ahead goal on a well-placed header in the 63rd minute, but the goal was waved off.

In a statement provided to the media, head official Adam Kilpatrick provided a written explanation for the disallowed goal. It said Riverhounds midfielder Danny Griffin committed a pushing foul on Birmingham Legion defender Jake Rufe before the goal was scored.

Lilley was happy his team wasn’t rattled by the disallowed goal, and Dikwa found the game-winner seven minutes later off a nice pass from Langston Blackstock. It was Blackstock’s first professional assist.

“We were a little bit disappointed (with the disallowed goal), but we’re at home, we have great fans and the energy to keep going,” Dikwa said. “I knew I had to get in position to score. A tie is like a loss at home for us. That’s why in training, the standard is to win every time we’re at home. That disallowed goal gave us energy and determination to go get that second one.”

The Hounds host Las Vegas next Saturday prior to their U.S. Open Round of 16 match against Columbus Crew on May 24. It’ll be the second time in team history the Hounds have hosted an MLS opponent at Highmark Stadium.